VCU news

By Brian McNeill

As part of Virginia Commonwealth University’s continued effort to support the health and well-being of VCU and VCU Health employees, a new VCU Employee Health Services location is now open on Broad Street on the Monroe Park Campus.

“This employee health and wellness location is designed to enhance access to VCU Employee Health Services on the Monroe Park Campus and to increase health and well-being resources to VCU employees,” said Suzanne Weaver, director, operations and wellness, VCU and VCU Health System Employee Health.

The location, at 800 W. Broad St., is available to all VCU employees and is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It provides free services such as:

• Wellness screenings to check cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure (schedule an appointment here).
• Walk-in flu shots available Monday through Friday; COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are available on Fridays.
• Workplace injury assessments and basic first aid.

Employee Health Services has historically only had a location on the MCV Campus. By opening one on the Monroe Park Campus, VCU is seeking to make accessing these services more convenient for all employees. The new location is available to both VCU and VCU Health employees, and all services offered there are available to both, though the new wellness screenings are only available at the Monroe Park Campus location.

Also new this semester is an Employee Health nurse call line (804-628-2594) that will allow VCU and VCU Health employees to speak with a nurse about their health, immunizations or any work-related health questions or concerns.

The new services are among several new resources VCU offers employees as part of RamStrong, a collective health and well-being resource for everyone a VCU that supports the eight dimensions of well-being: physical, emotional, financial, occupational, intellectual, environmental, social and spiritual. Another important new service available to VCU employees is TimelyCare – which provides free virtual health and well-being support 24/7, including on-demand counseling, scheduled counseling, health coaching and self-care content.

“We designed the wellness screening to be convenient and informative but most of all, a conversation starter. We hope employees will take advantage of the opportunity to speak with a registered nurse about their current state, their goals and the many different resources available to them to meet those goals,” Weaver said. “No one tool is going to be a good solution for everyone, but we hope to present a menu of services and resources that should have something that appeals to most everyone in the VCU family.”

The new location had a soft opening in January. It started with sending a message to employees on their birthday with an invitation to make a wellness screening appointment.

VCU and VCU Health employees are invited to two upcoming open houses at the new location. The first will be held on Wednesday, March 8, during Employee Appreciation Week. The second will be held Wednesday, March 15. Both will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the new location, 800 W. Broad St. Healthy snacks and information about the new resources will be available.

“The Employee Health team is so excited for this new chapter and the opportunity to expand our services to better support our valued employees,” Weaver said. “It’s wonderful to see VCU’s commitment to the well-being of all those who work so hard to support its mission.”